Handbrake/armrest binnacle removal

[Skodaecman]

Would like to clean up in this area and cannot see any obvious fixings to facilitate removal.Anyone done this your help most gratefully received.Also looking at removing front seats,for the same.

[Leeboy]

Do you have an arm rest already fitted?

I don't but can advise that if you remove the ash tray/rear cup holder which pulls upwards and out you'll see a couple of torq screws. Take these out and the front end of this where it meets the gearstick surround just pulls out of a couple of pegs.

To remove you will need to slacken off and remove the nuts fixing down the hand brake mechanism so this can be pulled out the way.

Then disconnect the ciggie lighter and you can move this whole section out the way. As i say if you have an armrest you'll need to figure this out first.

Also vastly more easy with front seats removed.

Hope this helps!

Edited 27 July, 2016 by Leeboy

[Skodaecman]

Thanks Leeboy for your informative reply .Yes l have an armrest just to make things more complicated although l have managed to remove the side panel which covers the hinge revealing a nut and bolt fastening which l hope will help removal!

[mac11irl]

Need to take out the front ash tray too - couple of torx under there iirc and a random screw in the footwell.

also you dont have to loosen the handbrake to get the centre console out - theres a rubber clip on the under side that you lever out and the entire cover will pull off the lever frame (unless your spec has a completsly different bhandbrake areangement to a diesel..) then the centre console slide out over the lever once the ciggie is disconnected.

[Skodaecman]

Thanks mac11irl for your reply they certainly are fixed in well ,had quite a struggle removing the rear ashtray with its multiple hidden clip fixings and l am debating whether to continue .Wondering if the front cup holder comes out separately as it has only just stopped locking away?

[Outofthi5world]

Have you done the seats yet? They're held onto the runners by two bolts under the front of the seat, take them nuts off then remove the plastic runners from behind the seats by taking the little plastic bits off, undoing the screws and removing the runner covers. Then slide the seat off of the bolts and slide back off the rails. The air-bag cable will still be in the bottom of the seat but you can move the seat around a bit without un-plugging depending on what you're doing.

[Skodaecman]

No l haven't yet Outofthi5world still debating whether to or not .The upholstery is pretty filthy (13 years of accumulated dirt although being of a dark colour perhaps doesn't show up so much if was a lighter shade!)Do l need to remove the screw at the front of the skirt moulding?Thanks for your reply.

[Leeboy]

No need, once you've removed the two 13mm nuts in the middle of the front of the seat where it bolts to the floor and then the plastic runner covers either side as seen from the rear seat, then the seat can be pushed backwards and off the runners.

Back to the rear ash tray, it takes some welly but really does just pull out in an upwards direction!

[Skodaecman]

Thanks Leeboy on hold its raining and on closing the tailgate a shed load of water poured out between the plastic rear trim and metalwork at the bottom edge ! Have just removed the trim and tried to find the source.New post required me thinks.

[nige8021]

The front cup holder is held in place with a small allen bolt only accessible once the handbrake/armrest cover has been removed 

[Skodaecman]

Thanks nige8021 doesn't the front cup holder come out without removing the whole binnacle ? The cup mechanism no longer locks away,and l would like to fix it.

[mac11irl]

Thanks nige8021 doesn't the front cup holder come out without removing the whole binnacle ? The cup mechanism no longer locks away,and l would like to fix it.

nope, you have get the centre console out to get it from underneath.

on the water - did it come from behind the inside boot trim? If so, there 2 rubber bungs, one at each corner, of the tailgate. I yanked them out and have had no issue. Odds are the water is from the rear washer unit leaking internally.. they rot from the inside out courtesy of the water flow...

[mac11irl]

Just to add - the trim panel comes off the tail gate fairly handy just a good hard pull straight out. Getting it back is a well documented on here struggle and pain in the a$$ which will do yer head in

[Skodaecman]

mac11irl thanks for replying .Have already removed the internal trim on the tailgate and will pour some water over the tailgate to see where it's leaking.l thought it might be through the handle release mechanism,as it does appear to be damp.Shame the whole centre binnacle has to removed to get at the front cup holder !

[mac11irl]

My moneys on the washer either the unit, or the seal of the wiper arm on the outside od the window...

tis a dose that full console has to come out, but it isnt that bad a job to do it

[Skodaecman]

Have finally removed the centre binnacle ,not too bad a job after removing the bolt hidden underneath the plastic surrounds on the armrest ,then the 2 torx screws from under the rear ashtray .The binnacle then came free after disconnecting the cigarette lighter lead.Next was able to remove the cup holder by removing the 2 small Allen bolts and sliding it out.Will start a new post on the cup holder

[nutters_uclan]

How does the handbrake cover come off a vRS? Mine doesn't have the clip underneath, as described above. It feels as though it is just glued on.

[Dean]

28 minutes ago, nutters_uclan said:

How does the handbrake cover come off a vRS? Mine doesn't have the clip underneath, as described above. It feels as though it is just glued on.

Remove all the of the center cup holder console (between the seats) to get access to the handbrake.

 

It will look like this, just without the armrest bracket (unless you have one). Photo from when I changed the carpet over in my Black VRS.

 

I think from memory it either clips off or unscrews.

Edited 19 May, 2021 by DeanVRS20VT

[nutters_uclan]

20 minutes ago, DeanVRS20VT said:

Remove all the of the center cup holder console (between the seats) to get access to the handbrake.

 

It will look like this, just without the armrest bracket (unless you have one). Photo from when I changed the carpet over in my Black VRS.

 

I think from memory it either clips off or unscrews.

 

Well, this picture has saved some effort. Hopefully! Cheers Dean.

 

I'm actually trying to get the centre console out, but I thought the handbrake was an insurmountable obstacle! I'd rather leave the handbrake cover where it is...how did you manage to get the console past it?

 

[Dean]

12 minutes ago, nutters_uclan said:

 

Well, this picture has saved some effort. Hopefully! Cheers Dean.

 

I'm actually trying to get the centre console out, but I thought the handbrake was an insurmountable obstacle! I'd rather leave the handbrake cover where it is...how did you manage to get the console past it?

 

With the screws out around the console you can lift the front up and twist to one side and it should slide out. Make sure the handbrake is up high like mine.

 

Don’t forget the hidden screw right under the dash on the right side at the far back. It’s a very long screw and holds the whole center console in.

 

The other way is to just release the bolts around the hand brake and lay it down to the side. I’ve never bothered doing that as I don’t think it’s needed.

Edited 19 May, 2021 by DeanVRS20VT

[nutters_uclan]

2 minutes ago, DeanVRS20VT said:

With the screws out around the console you can lift the front up and twist to one side and it should slide out. Make sure the handbrake is up high like mine.

 

Don’t forget the hidden screw right under the dash on the right side at the far back. It’s a very long screw and holds the whole center console in.

 

The other way is to just release the bolts around the hand brake and lay it down to the side. I’ve never bothered doing that as I don’t think it’s needed.

 

Yeah, I got the hidden screw out! Thanks for the warning though.

 

You, sir, are bloody marvelous. Thanks for the assistance.

[Dean]

1 hour ago, nutters_uclan said:

 

Yeah, I got the hidden screw out! Thanks for the warning though.

 

You, sir, are bloody marvelous. Thanks for the assistance.

Welcome any time good sir! 🥸